Fluid meter adjustable calibration device



March 10, 1953 P. R. CARLON 2,630,713

FLUID METER ADJUSTABLE CALIBRATION DEVICE Filed April 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

nv vsw TOR Pa u/ R. Car/0n A fforneys March 10, 1953 P. R. CARLON 2,

mum METER ADJUSTABLE CALIBRATION DEVICE Filed April 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

l/VVEN TOR Paul R. Gar/0n h /M v fZW Affvrneys March 10, 1953 P. R. CARLON 3 FLUID METER ADJUSTABLE CALIBRATION DEVICE Filed April 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I62 i l 20 N 1 I Fig. 3

I/VVENTOH' Pau/ Gar/0n Attorneys Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UN 1 TED STAT ES FF ICE FLUIDJMETER ADJUSTABLE}CALIBRATION:

DEVICE 1 Paul'R; Garlon; Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Rockwell Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporationi of Pennsylvania Application A priIS, 1949, Serial'No. 85,499

2-Claims.' (Cl. 73+-247) This invention relates particularly piston type"displacementmeters; and has for its general object and'purpose'to'provide a meter of minimum size and weight having certain novel features of "construction which will efficiently function to produce 'a' steady flow-of liquid through the meter with aminimum of pulsation at the capacitiesrequired for service station use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a meter of this type which embodies a minimum number of closely coordinated elementsin'a'positively functioning organization; in which loosely articulated connections and lost motion in-* the relative movement of the parts' iseliminated'to thus insure a high degree of accuracy' 'inthe measurement of the meter output.

A more specific object of the invention residesin the provision of an adjustable calibration de vice which is structurally independent" of" the working parts of themeter and -easily' accessibland connected with the liquid'inlet and discharge passages of a pair ofpiston"cylindersforopera tion by differential liquidpressure-across thepis tons to variably control the exactamountofliquid discharged through the meter outletduring each cycle of the meter.

It is also an additional object 'of theinvention to provide a fluid meter as abovecharacterized;

the principal working parts ofwhi'ch may-be easily fabricated by conventional production" methods, thus conducing tolarge scale m'anufacture at c-omparativelylow cost;

With the above and otherobjects-in'view; the

invention comprises the improved-fluid meterand" the construction and arrangementofits-several parts, as will hereinafter bem'ore-fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdraw-ings and subsequently incorporated in" the subjoined" claims;

Referring in detail to the drawings, wlierein I have disclosed several simple and practicalem bodiments of the present invention; and in which similar reference" characters designatecorre-- sponding parts throughout'the severalviewsr Figure 1 is a central vertical section tlirough a pair of the piston'cylinders' showing'them'eans for operatively connecting "the pistons-"wi'th* thefluid inlet and outlet controlvalve and the-register drive mechanism;

Figure 2 is a top planview partly."in section showing the adjustable calibration r device" ac= cordingto a preferred embodimentfof thginven tion; t

Figure 3 is a horizontalsectionahview'taken to fluid" meters; more Referring in furtherdetail tothe drawings, for the purpose of the present explanation, I

' have'shown the meter body 10 'inthe formof a die cast'aluminum cylinderblock havingiour horizontally disposed cylinders, ll, l2, l3and l4 spaced apart A brass liner sleeve 15' is pressedinto each cylinder, and then rolled-and cylinders at the lowersides thereof *andcoaxial withlthe vertical center line-of the meter-body a" bearing sleeve- I6 is integrally connected with thecylinder walls by spaced Webs 18. The Wallof ea'clrcylinder at thelower side thereof is relatively. thick and provided with a longitudinally extending passage 20" opening downwardly at its inner "end through the cylinder wall and in communication" at its outer end with the associated -cylinder. The outer'end of each cylinder is closed" by a head 22 secured thereto by the'cap screws-24.

In the" cylinderblock between the inner ends ofpassages 20 dowel pinsindicated atifiarein-- sertedtb accurately locate agasket 28 coatedwith a-suitable adhesive and a valveseat plate 30: The plate 30is provided with four circumferentially extending slots or openings which register'with the inner ends of the passages 20 inithe walls of the respective cylinders, said plate also having a central circular opening 34 which registerswiththe annular space between the Of" bearing sleeve l6 and the cylinder wallss I course the gasket 28 is provided withsimil-ar slots and a central opening.

Abottom' cover member SS -h-as an upwardly fl'a'ring'fluidinlet passage 38 and at the'lcn-wer end thereof an axially disposed upwardly open ing'bearing socket Misconnected with thewall of said passage bya' plurality of radial webs 423 The valveassembly comprisesarotary valve member which iscentrally formedwith a hol-- lowi cylindrical portion 46 having a quadrant shaped lateral-extension 48 to'register'with' the slots 32 in the valve seat plate 30 and providing burnished to the required diameter; Between the 3 a fluid outlet receiving chamber 50 in constant communication through the central opening 34 in said plate and with the interior of the meter body or cylinder block which forms a common fluid outlet receiving chamber 52 for the four piston cylinders. At the upper open side of the chamber 50, valve member 44 is provided at diametrically opposite sides thereof with flanges 54 extending circumferentially from the ends of the quadrant shaped portion 48 of chamber 50 and terminating in spaced relation from each other to provide a space or recess which is substantially equal to the length of the slots 32 in the valve seat plate 30.

The lower end wall of the cylindrical portion 46 of the valve member is provided with an axially centered cylindrical opening 56 in which a coupling member 60 is inserted, said member at its upper end having a head or flange 62 provided with a male coupling part The lower end of member 60 is threaded and receives the lock washer 66 and jam nut 66 whereby said member is securely held against rotation or axial displacement relative to the valve member 44.

The lower end face of member 60 has a concave seat for the stainless steel bearing ball 16 disposed in the upper open end of the socket 46 upon a cap plate 12 on the upper end of a coil spring 14 which is secured at its lower end to the base wall of socket 40 by a suitable wire clip 16. Thus the valve member 44 is yieldingly urged upwardly into close seating contact with I the lower face of the plate 30.

The cover member 36 is rigidly secured to the cylinder block upon the interposed gasket 16 by suitable cap screws 80 and to the lower end of said cover member a gasket 62 and a pipe coupling member 84 are applied and secured by the cap screws 86. a

Each of the cylinders, I I, I2, I 3, and I4 contains a reciprocating piston which comprises the piston head 88, a cup leather 90, spacing plate 92, piston skirt 94 and an annular coil spring 96 between the skirt 94 and the free edge of cup leather 60. These elements are secured in assembled relation by a plurality of screws indicated at 66.

As seen in Figure l of the drawings, the diametrically opposed pair of pistons in cylinders II and I2 are rigidly connected by a top Scotch yoke rod I00. As herein shown, the ends of this rod are formed with internal threaded bosses I02 disposed in axially centered openings in the respective piston heads 88 to receive the locking screws I04. The elongated slot in rod I receives the crank pin I06 and roller I06 loosely mounted thereon. A similar bottom Scotch yoke rod IIO rigidly connects the pistons in the other pair of cylinders I3 and I4 and crank pin I06 extends downwardly through the elongated slot in said rod with a second roller II2 loosely mounted on the crank pin disposed in said slot.

Bushings II4 are press fitted in the upper and lower ends of sleeve I6 and in these bushings the vertically disposed valve operating shaft H6 is journalled. At its lower end, said shaft is provided with a diametrically disposed slot or recess II8 which receives the male coupling lug 64 on the upper end of member 66. At its upper end the shaft H6 is non-rotatably connected by pin I to one end of crank arm I22.

To the other end of this crank arm, the lower end of crank pin I06 is non-rotatably connected by the pin I24. I r V The top cover member I26 for the cylinder block is adjustably secured to said block by a plurality of cap screws I28 and is formed with a radially extending outlet neck I30 in communication with the chamber 52 of the cylinder block.

The cover member I26 is formed with an axially centered depending boss I62 having a stuffing box I64 for the register drive shaft I66. The stuffing box gland I36 has a flanged end secured to the upper surface of the cover member I26 by screws as indicated at I40. To the lower end of shaft I36 one end of crank arm I42 is non-rotatably fixed by the pin I44, the other end of said arm being provided with an opening I46 to receive the upper end of crank pin I06.

In laterally spaced relation from the shaft I36, cover member I26 is formed with a vertical bore I48 into which the lower end of a stationary shaft I50 is pressed. Upon this shaft and the upper end of shaft I36, speed reduction gearing, generally indicated at I52, is mounted, the final element of the gear train being rotatable relative to shaft I36 and provided with an upwardly projecting coupling element I64 for engagement with a complementary coupling element on the register shaft (not shown). The gearing is enclosed in housing member I56 which is secured in fixed relation to the cover member by nut I56 threaded upon the upper end of stationary shaft I50.

When the cover assembly is positioned over the chamber 52 in the cylinder block, the position of crank arm I42 is adjusted so that the upper end of crank pin I66 will be rotatively received in the opening I46 in said arm and with the register drive shaft I36 in coaxial alignment with valve operating shaft II6. Since shaft I36 is axially centered in the cover member, said member may be adjusted about the shaft axis to dispose outlet I 30 of said member in a selected radial position with respect to said shaft and the meter cylinders. A gasket I66 is disposed between the cylinder block and cover member I26 and said cover member tightly secured in its adjusted position by the'cap screws I 26.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, upon the head 22 of a cylinder I I, below the center thereof, a small diameter cylinder I62 is integrally formed with its axis disposed substantially normal to the axis of the shafts II6 and I36 and parallel to the axis of the cylinders I3 and I 4. Adjacent to its opposite ends, this cylinder I62 is connected by passages I64 and I66 with the inner ends of the respective inlet andoutlet passages 20 of cylinders I3 and I4, as

' clearly shown in Figure 3.

A small light weight piston may reciprocate freely in the liner sleeve I68 of the cylinder I62, said piston comprising the head I10 and cup leathers I12 secured to opposite sides of said head by the screw I14-and bonnet 'nut I16. A sleeve I18 has an externally tapered end portion I19 extending into one end of cylinder I62. This end of the sleeve is internally threaded to receive the adjusting screw I66. Intermediate of its ends sleeve I16 is formed with an external flange I82. A gasket I64 is interposed between this flange and the end of cylinder I62 and said. flange secured to the cylinder by screws I66. 'The outer end of sleeve H6 is externally threaded to receive a cap member I 86 which tightly clamps the edge of a sealing gasket I96 against the end of the sleeve wall.

It will be evident from the above that the length ofthe reciprocating stroke of the piston let: fluidpressure -to said cylinder: through pas-a I sages I 64 and I 66,: is limited by contact of the nut. I16 with one end ofithe cylinder 'andicons tactof the head of screw. I14 iwithztheend of the adjustable screw I801. Therefore; by removing cap.l88 andadjustingscrew. I80iwith=respect to sleeve I78, the ,lengthof; the strokeof the piston andjthe volume of liquid iexpelledzfromi the \cylina derxthrough passages I and. I 66 into :the meter outlet may. be regulated; as desired. This" 00H;- trol of the volume of .fluiddischarged fromacylin der 62 is thereforewacontrol of=thetotalvolume of fluid I discharged. from thezmeter during: each cycle;

The abovedescribed adjustmentadevice'is satisfactory in operation. untilLsuch wear of the cup leathers I12 occurs.asawillcausedeak acrossthe,

cylinder between thepassages I64. and. I66. Therefore. in Figure 4. of the drawings I .have ,illustrated another embodiment of this device which avoids this possibility and elfectively seals the piston at each end of its stroke. This construction includes a solidtone-piece free piston I 92. of light weight metal or plastic, s uch as nylon. An annular seatmember I94 is pressed into one end of the cylinder liner I96 and at one end has an. annular surface: I98 against which the piston I92 seats tightly; at the endof its movement in one direction. The BIIdStOf pas sages I64 and I66 are oil-set fromthe axial centerline of the cylinderand the'member I94 is cut away as indicated at 200 to. permit of the free flow of liquid through said :passage I66 intoqand from the cylinder I62.

In this modified construction, the sleeve 202 has a flanged portion for attachment to the'end of cylinder I62 as above described, which is of comparatively large internal and external diameter, and an inner portion'204 of reduced internal and external diameter to .form an annular chamber 206 between said inner end portion of the sleeve and the wall of the cylinder which is in fluid communication with the passage I64. The end portion 204 of the sleeve is internally threaded and formed with a flange 208 snugly engaged with the cylinder wall and a terminal portion fitted within the end of liner sleeve I96. At the juncture of the reduced portion 204 of the sleeve with the large diameter portion thereof a plurality of openings 2I0 are formed through the sleeve wall to establish fluid communication between chamber 206 and the bore of a hollow adjusting screw 2I2 threaded in the end portion 204 of the sleeve. The adjusting screw 2I2 terminates at its inner end in an annular valve seat 2I4. Thus by the adjustment of the screw 2I2 the amount of liquid which is discharged through the passages I64 and I66 into the meter outlet at each stroke of the piston I92 may be predetermined as desired, thus calibrating the entire meter to discharge a predetermined volume of liquid per cycle of the meter.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the improved meter will be readily understood.

With the valve member 44 in the position shown in Figure l of the drawings, the fluid under pressure flows through inlet chamber 38, between the spaced flanges 54 of the valve member and the uncovered opening 32 in valve seat plate 30 and hence through passage 20 into the outer end of the right hand cylinder I2. Since the pistons in the opposed cylinders I I and I2 are rigidly connected to move as a unit, as the liquid pressure in the right hand cylinder I2 forces: the-piston therein to the'left', the'pistonin; the left :hand cylinder I I moves correspondingly therewith, and thus .forcesliquid from the latter cylinder through passage: 20 thereof and the opening .32.:in valve seatplate 3.0 which is in registrationyvith. the chamber 50 of valve member 44.. They fluid then passes upwardly through opening 34xandaaround sleeve I6into the cham' berr521of the cylinder block from which it flows through: the outlet. I30 on. cover member I26.

As". the pistons arenoperatively connected with valves44 said' valve is rotated in properly timed relationwiththe reciprocationof the pistons to alternately. connect the passages 20 of the opposed cylinders withtheinletand outlet sides respectively of the valve in proper sequence.

In the operation of the meter, thepassages I64Land I66, and the portions of calibration adjustment cylinder I62 not occupied by thepis-- ton. and the adjusting means are filled with liquid. Thus when valve 44 opens communication through passage 20 between valve inlet chamber 38 and the meter cylinder I3, the cylinder I4 .is connected to the meter outlet through Valve chamber 50iand the higher inletpressure is eflectivethrough passage I64 and one end of cylinder. I 62to rapidly move the adjustment:pis-' toninto contactuwith the end wall of the cylindernear' the entrance of passage I66 andthereby discharge liquid from cylinder'l62 through pas-- sages. I66: andt20 into outlet chamber. 50 of the valve along with the. liquid discharged into the outlet from the cylinder I4. When the-position of the meter valve 44is reversed, the higher inletpressure will then be applied to cylinder I62 throughthe passage I66, thus quickly displacing the: calibration adjustment piston in the opposite .direction into contact withadjustment screw I 80, and. expelling liquid from said cylinder through passages I64 and 20 into the outlet chamber; 50- of the valve along withliquid discharged by the cylinder I3. Adjustment of screw I60 varies the volume of fluid discharged by the meter per cycle and therefore is calibration adjustment for the meter.

The adjustment device of the embodiment shown in Figure 4 of the drawings operates in a similar manner, except that in the movement of piston I92, the liquid is not discharged from the cylinder directly through passage I64 but flows through the bore of adjusting screw 2 I2 into the outer end of sleeve 202 and through openings 2 I0 into the annular chamber 206 from which it is expelled under pressure through the passage I64 and the cylinder passage 20 to the outlet chamber of the valve 44.

The above described meter is primarily designed for service station use, and it will be seen that by means of the present improvements, I provide a meter of minimum weight and size in which a steady flow of liquid through the meter to the outlet thereof is obtained, with a minimum of pulsation. Thus as the register drive shaft I36 is operated by the reciprocating pistons a more accurate registration of the volume of liquid passing through the meter will be obtained as a substantially uniform ressure is maintained on the coupled pistons with a very low pressure'loss which tends to minimize leakage past the pistons and the valve. The novel calibration adjustment is energized by the differential in meter inlet and outlet pressure and is simple in construction as well as mechanically independent of the working parts of the meter. Since it is not connected to the moving parts of the meter, it does not place any added or unbalanced strain on them and this tends to reduce pulsation in the meter. The present invention provides a minimum number of working parts in the meter which are of simple and rugged structural form and can be embodied in a very compact assembly at low manufacturing cost for eflicient and reliable operation.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein;

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a fluid meter having opposed piston cylinders, inlet and outlet ports and a separate fluid passage communicating with each of said cylinders, each passage being adapted to permit the flow of fluid to and away from the respective cylinders, and a common valve means operable to alternately establish communication between the said fluid passages and the said inlet and outlet ports; a calibration cylinder, conduits connecting opposite ends of said calibration cylinder to a pair of said fluid passages, a reciprocable piston in said calibration cylinder responsive to the pressure differential between said passages and adapted to discharge a predetermined volume of fluid under pressure into said outlet port, means for variably regulating the volume of fluid discharged by said calibration cylinder including a coaxial sleeve fixed in one end of said calibration cylinder and having portions extending externally and internally thereof, the

latter portion'of the sleeve havingan annular groove forming an annular fluid receiving chamher with the cylinder wall and having openings between said groove and the interior of said sleeve to 'place said chamber in communication with the conduit connected to one of said ends of .the calibration cylinder, and an adjustable hollow screw, open at each end, threaded co- I axially into the said internally extending portionof the sleeve and having a seat on the inner end for said piston, said screw and the remaining portion of the sleeve forming a fluid receiving chamber connected through said screw with the cylinder and through said openings in the sleeve wall with said annular chamber, and a removable cap closing the outer end of said sleeve.

2. In a fluid meter deflnedin claim 1, an annular seat member for the piston in the other end of said cylinder, internally connected with the conduit to the latter end of thecylinder.

PAUL R. CARLON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

